If you are using a video hosting website like YouTube, you can add a link to your email sign-up form directly to your video by using the annotations feature. Below, you can see an example of an annotation link at the end of one of our YouTube videos.

Are you using Wistia for your video hosting? You can link to your sign-up form using the annotation link feature or by adding a call to action.

2. Add an email gate to your video

Gated content is content that can only be accessed by providing information.

You’ve probably seen gated content before when trying to download a PDF or eBook. Whenever you’re asked to provide information about yourself, such as your email, job title, or industry, before downloading content, that’s an example gated content.

While you probably don’t want to gate every video you create, gating long-form, high value content is a great place to start. We recommend letting the viewer watch for a couple minutes before the gate pops up — that way the viewer can preview the content to make sure they’re interested.

The best way to gate your videos is by using Wistia’s turnstile feature. Turnstile allows you to add an email gate to your video in just a few easy steps.

The best part? Wistia has a flawless integration with Constant Contact. This means that once you set up the turnstile and connect your Constant Contact account, your viewers’ contact information will automatically be added to your email list.

Once you’ve added your turnstile, it should look something like this:

Tip: If you’re interested in getting started with Wistia’s turnstile feature and would like step-by-step instructions, check out this help page.

When gating content, make it clear what the viewer will receive if they provide their information. If you are going to be adding them to your email list, tell them. The last thing you want to do is email someone without their permission.